


Four's the (actual) charm

by ZoudiazZoe



Series: James & Keith Week 2018 [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Day 1. Confessions., Jaith is Jeith or what, James and Keith Week 2018, James doesn't know how to talk feelings, James is also jealous of Shiro and Keith's dynamics, Keith is not that oblivious, M/M, Pining, Pining James (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-10 22:53:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15959285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoudiazZoe/pseuds/ZoudiazZoe
Summary: 4 slips. It was all it took, four fateful slips coming from him to change the stability of his life and the rhythm of his heart.





	Four's the (actual) charm

**Author's Note:**

> I'm late (even though, it's still Sep 10th). Sorry, this is crap, but this crap was the best I could do with the nasty block I've been having recently.
> 
> Crossposted on Tumblr

It was not a thing he had planned at all. It just … sort of happened. Keith was stupid, and James was so infatuated with the emo boy he’s known almost all his life.

For years now, he thought that Keith hated him, ever before the orphan incident. It wasn’t an incident; James had been a jerk, and he admitted it. He even apologized later on … in his own way, but he did.   
Even though Keith never actually hated him, his walls were way too up for him to reach, and James didn’t know how to climb at the time. Nowadays, he still had no idea how to climb, but he had sufficiently learned enough patience to find other ways up.

 

There’s always been this rivalry going on, and he treasured it more than anything else. It was what kept them in the same wavelength.  
That made James thought that he and Keith were the perfect complement, like better halves. While Keith Kogane was a natural, James worked hard. Keith was reckless, and James was composed. James followed rules, Keith followed his instincts. Where Keith missed a family; James had to live with the expectations of his. 

There were stolen glances and hidden smirks after simulations. Unorthodox motivations were left whenever any of them didn’t manage an excellent grade.   
James Griffin could alphabetize all of their pushes throughout their Garrison days. The list was long and it would take him a few days, but he could do it.

 

Then, this Lance boy came in; and self-proclaimed himself Keith’s rival, and James was not having it. 

James snorted when he next spotted the Cuban, it was so easy to set him off if he was being honest. And it was easier for James to get closer to Keith to reel the boy. He might have let them all know at the Garrison his sentiments while making his point clear to McClain.  
In all honesty, to throw little McClain under the train in front of the cafeteria was not one of his most brilliant moments. It was something only a bully would do. But he had had enough!

“If you manage to be cargo pilot that’d be your most exceptional achievement,” James said sourly. His book was clenched against his torso. “To proclaim yourself Keith’s rival? Ha,” he arched a brow incredulously. “Keith only deserves the best, and that is not you.”

Thinking back to that time, James wasn’t nice, and his actual self would like to punch his past-self hard in the face. No one accused him of nothing, he didn’t break any rules, so he was fine to let his mouth run out.  
After all, Keith deserved the best, and James was the best. The only person fitted to be his rival was him.

That was his first slip. (And it didn’t end that day, but continued even when, said boy decided to badmouth the best pilot the Garrison has had in so long. No one called Keith Kogane a drop out or other unpleasant things. If that lower range pilot thought he was Keith’s rival, then he should learn rivals are supposed to respect each other.)

If the violet eyes of Keith followed him curiously for a week after that, he didn’t care enough to acknowledge them.

 

**Second slip.**

 

It happened the day Keith was expelled from the Garrison. 

He had run all the way to Keith’s room, he was out of breath and wanted answers. There must be something they could do to avoid it.  
He found Keith packing his few possessions, there was a knife in his hand. James’ heart was drumming in his dull ears, he knew Keith, right? He wouldn’t…? He saw with relief how the boy exhaled and set it aside, next to the rest of his belongings.

The exact words he said he could not remember, he felt terribly embarrassed at the moment that his brain decided to shut part of that memory. He had practically declared to him, that he recalled. And the jerk merely accepted it as a friend-foe thing.  
Keith had a bitter smirk on his face as he told him they’d have another chance to race in the future. (Those last words of him, he knew they weren’t meant for him.)

'I should be happy, finally, I'm Galaxy Garrison's number one pilot and outstanding student.' He thought bitterly. His family was going to be ecstatic but he still felt empty. Without Keith there, who would provide him with the motivation to go on? Who was going to push and pull at his side?

Keith.

Where would Keith go? He had no one outside the walls of the Garrison. He was too old to go back to the home. Who would look out for him in dire moments? Where was Shiro, his protector? Shiro, it all happened because of Shiro and the undying loyalty Keith had on him.

James cried uncontrollably that raw night because not only Keith Kogane was the most oblivious and emotional constipated person he knew, but also because he was no one when compared Takashi Shirogane. And of course, Keith would go out looking for the best.  
James not only felt heartbroken and abandoned, but he felt inferior. All their lives, James Griffin and Keith Kogane had been equals, but that day, Keith’s controversial departure made James feel like he was nothing but another cadet at the Garrison.

 

 

**Third slip.**

 

The day Sam Holt started the MFE’s program. James felt he was doing that for Keith, his family, and Earth.

When the information about Keith (and the others’) whereabouts came to his ears to hear. James breathed again, for he was going to fight side by side with him, and a new path was going to be forged for them.  
But of course, that was Keith Fucking Kogane he was thinking about. He wasn’t sure of what Space magic happened to him, but he was different. Not only physically. James could sense a new … something in him. He couldn’t explain it; he just knew he wanted the Leader of Voltron to look his way, which he did.

That didn’t end up well, for James just walked away. What was he supposed to say after so many years?

 

“My problem is,” James confronted. “I don’t want to see our only hope for saving Earth get hurt.” He smirked a distinctive Keith kind of smirk. “That’s why we’re coming with you.”  
For all one knows it could've been a hallucination, or maybe Keith’s visible expression softened at that. Truth is he was too scared to find out. Especially when he realized, a few days later—while he was piloting with Keith in order to get the Lions— that he may have declared it while he locked eyes with Keith.

He didn’t want the paladins of Voltron to get hurt; that was genuine. Deep down he undoubtedly knew he had meant that specifically, if not only, for Keith Kogane.   
He also realized just how well he knew the leader of Voltron. Because for what other reason would he be waiting for him —and Hunk—in the hangar with Veronica, if he didn’t already know Keith’s tendency to defy curfew. 

The trip to retrieve the Lions wasn’t awkward at first, now it felt like a torturous journey.  
The good thing was they weren’t a pair to talk much. And even if they were, the situation was too tense for them to want to engage in any kind of small talk.

 

 

**Fourth slip.**

 

The invasion came to an end. Earth won.

James had no time to celebrate their victory, for he knew it had been a victory for them, but Voltron kept on fighting. Keith and the others were still out there fighting, and their destiny depended on them.

 

And once the battle of Earth was done for good … James and the rest froze as they watched Voltron fall. Atlas could do nothing to avoid it, the Lions crashed hard in different places.  
For the first time in his life, James intentionally broke formation. He went on as fast as the thrusters allowed him to, he needed to instantly reach the Black Lion. His throat was closed and he was sweating. His stomach told him to turn around and go back to the base, but his hands kept the course to Keith.  
He arrived late to where the Black Lion was. The engines were off, and a massive crater cradle the head of Voltron. James was late, he didn’t know if Keith was still alive or … he shook those thoughts out of his head. Shiro was there already—of course, he’d be. James remained in standby.

 

The Paladins of Voltron were alive, all of them. Ones more stable than the others, but alive was a good thing.

James liked going to Keith’s hospital room every once in a while—Three or four times a day. Rizavi had counted them—but the leader hadn’t woken up yet. Soon enough, wormholes started to open and the destroyed streets of Earth were occupied by aliens, members of the Coalition and more.  
A tall, physically strong and ... purple woman was inside of Keith’s room. He looked at her and swore that if he weren’t gay, he’d be crushing on her hard. She was seated on the bed next to the sleeping paladin.  
Was she a member of the Blade of Marmora? That group Keith joined a long time ago and held the secret to his past. 

Realization hit him hard. They might have won a battle, but he knew they’ll part ways once again for their foe was still roaming the Galaxy. Either he left with Voltron of the Blade; Keith was slipping through his fingers.

James choked on a high pitched sob, thing that made the woman turn to look at him. Her yellow eyes, soft while staring at the sleeping man in bed, turned sharp. “Are you one of my son’s friends?” She asked him, tone wary. James lost his words; he nodded, nonetheless.  
His affirmative answer made her relax in the same way Keith always did. Stiff shoulders became slightly slouched, sharp eyes softened a little, and her face turned a few degrees like a curious cat would.

She was definitely Keith’s mom, and she was an _alien_.

James left the hospital room baffled, it had been rude, he didn’t even introduce himself to the woman nor he got her name. He should apologize later, at that moment James needed space to breathe.  
James Griffin didn’t show up again near his rival’s room. He heard the news; he had woken up, and he was glad for that. He still visited the Hospital. He just didn’t approach that specific corridor.

The feeling of uneasiness was still nagging at him. He’d made up his mind, though. Wherever Voltron headed, he was going with them. He was an MFE’s pilot, therefore, he was part of the Coalition. The news about Keith’s alien heritage wasn’t that hard to swallow, he had always thought there was something special about the leader of the paladins. Keith was a genius, he was not going to deny that, but … it was just, so many things made sense now.

 

The Galaxy Garrison offered an elaborate ceremony and a small banquet after the full recovery of their saviors. That was precisely the moment James instantly saw Keith again.

He was standing tall with his mom and the other alien that never left their side. Captain Shirogane was with them, and James just kept walking soberly toward them, toward Keith Kogane. He had so much to say, and if he didn’t say it at that moment, he feared he wouldn’t be able to do so ever again.

But, the moment he was face to face with the Black paladin, he said nothing. Something in his mind screamed ‘Fuck it!’ so he grabbed Keith by the collar of his Garrison uniform and pulled him in for a kiss.

He kissed Keith. At the Garrison Ceremony, in front of everybody … in front of Captain Shirogane, in front of his alien mother … he kissed Keith to all the Galaxy to see. 

 

And Holy shit! Keith’s mom was an alien! Not only that, but she was part of the race that tried to conquer them. And she was insanely tall and strong. James gulped, he was no match for that.  
He promptly broke the kiss, he didn’t think all of that through. He was in deep shit, now that he thought about that. And Keith wasn’t saying a single word, the bastard only had his head tilted like a cat.

“Mom,” Keith said softly. He never spoke that soft, not even to Shiro. “This is James,” Keith’s lips drew the most cunning and insufferable smirk he’s seen in his life.

“Mhmm,” was all the alien … Keith’s mom said. She was eyeing him. So did the other one, the furry one with the braid.  
It was then it occurred to him that the way Keith introduced him sounded as if he had already talked about him. James Griffin was royally screwed.

The taller alien walked fearlessly toward him. They were face to face, it was more like face to mighty chest, that man was huge. James gulped once again, he looked over at Keith, who was still smirking.

“Next time,” started the man, his voice was deep and authoritarian. “Bring a high-quality blade.”

“Kolivan,” said gently Keith’s mom. “This is Earth. They don’t give blades for courting.” She let out a small laugh, “I should know, Keith’s father freaked out when I tried giving him one.”

“It is a sacred tradition, Krolia,” the furry alien responded. Keith was still laughing.

James was so confused, he didn’t know what was happening. Technically he properly understood the conversation; he was not stupid. But the background of it all was confusing. He looked wonderingly at Keith for proper answers.  
“In Galra, when you are courting someone you should bring a blade with you.” Keith saved his poor brain for going into overdrive. James blinked a few times. “I don’t really need it. This is the boldest thing you’ve done so far."

He choked on his own saliva. “You knew?”

“You weren’t exactly subtle,” Keith answered. “I was waiting for the day you’d say it properly.”

“Say _what_?” James growled.

“That you liked me,” Keith strategically placed his muscled arm around James’ neck, it was Keith’s turn to pull him in for a fervent kiss.

Wolf-whistles were heard here and there.

They carefully broke the kiss the moment they realized there were more people around them.

“How was that a proper confession?” James couldn’t help the nervous laugh escaping his lips. He settled his evident embarrassment aside.

“I’m half Galra and an active member of the Blade of Marmora,” Keith said as if it would explain everything. “Even the smallest victory is worth it.”

 

“My mom is not going to believe my in-laws are aliens."


End file.
